Montana Cancer Center's 20-Year BBQ Tradition Reunites Families

At ZooMontana in Billings, cancer patients and their doctors shared picnic tables, played games, and watched the animals together. No appointments. No treatment plans. Just burgers, laughter, and the people who helped save their lives.

The Billings Clinic Cancer Center has hosted this annual barbecue for more than 20 years. Each June during Cancer Survivor Month, patients and their families reunite with the medical teams who guided them through their hardest days.

"Cancer is a very difficult journey and this is an opportunity for our patients and their families to come and celebrate with us," said Dr. Shenthol Sasankan, a medical oncologist at Billings Clinic. The event lets everyone "celebrate life and see the happy side of things."

Under the shelter at ZooMontana, families enjoyed a free meal and full access to the zoo grounds. Patients reconnected with nurses and doctors they typically only see in exam rooms and infusion centers.

For patient Dennis Henderson, the gathering reinforced what he already knew about his care team. "They have gone out of their way to make me feel good, make me feel taken care of and cared about," he said.

The event transforms the usual doctor-patient dynamic into something warmer. Physicians see their patients thriving outside the hospital. Families meet other families who understand their journey. Everyone shares stories, swaps contact information, and builds a support network that extends far beyond medical appointments.

The Ripple Effect

This tradition demonstrates that cancer care doesn't end when treatment does. The barbecue creates a community of survivors, caregivers, and medical professionals who continue supporting each other year after year.

Many patients return annually, bringing new family members and sharing updates about graduations, weddings, and grandchildren. The celebration has become a living timeline of resilience, showing newer patients what's possible after diagnosis.

For the medical staff, seeing former patients healthy and happy reminds them why they chose oncology. These moments fuel their compassion during the toughest shifts.

Year after year, the same families keep coming back to ZooMontana, proof that healing happens in community, not just in clinic rooms.

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